


A Friend in Time of Need

by tattookitty167



Category: Captain America - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Mental Health Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-07
Updated: 2018-02-07
Packaged: 2019-03-14 22:44:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13599999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tattookitty167/pseuds/tattookitty167
Summary: Steve finally has time to react to waking up in the 21st century. He battles with his anger, fear, and loneliness. Natasha helps. Set between Avengers & CA:WS.





	A Friend in Time of Need

**Author's Note:**

> I saw the deleted scenes from Avengers of Steve around New York, and I knew I had to write this. It's my first ever fic, so please let me know what you liked and didn't like. It deals with mental health and taking care of yourself. Comment if you want to share anything.

It was still very early morning when Natasha wandered into the Avengers’ communal kitchen, so she was surprised to see Steve already there. Judging by the almost empty coffee pot and a huge plate of pancakes, he’s been there for a while.  
  
“Morning, Captain.” Natasha poured herself the rest of the warm coffee and grabbed a delicious smelling chocolate chip pancake. Steve’s eyes widened as he turned to her.  
  
“Oh, ah, hey Natasha. You’re up early.” He looked away as she raised an eyebrow at him and he started to wipe invisible crumbs off of the counter top. Natasha considered him while he still didn’t meet her eyes: He looked tired, his clothes looked slept in, and his movements were jerky. Thinking about it, she hadn’t seen him in a while except during missions and at the gym.  
  
“Is everything ok, Steve?”  
  
“Yeah, why?”  
  
“Nothing.”  
  
He finished making himself a plate of food and was about to leave. “Bye, Nat. Enjoy the pancakes,” he waved at her on his way to the elevator.  
  
“Hey, what are you doing today?” Natasha stopped him before he ran off.  
  
“Nothing much,” his voice was hesitant and gaze inquisitive.  
  
“Do you want to go to the gym and spar? I bet I can kick your lazy ass.”  
  
Steve looked at his pancakes, “Well, I’m pretty hungry now, maybe later.” He looked to the elevator but stayed his ground. Natasha didn’t give up.  
  
“How about going for a walk? It’ll be nice soon,” she thought maybe the sun will cheer him up.  
  
“I didn’t plan on going outside today.”  
  
“How about we go annoy Tony?”  
  
“Nat, no.”  
  
“Maybe,” she tried again,  
  
“I have to go,” he turned away and stalked off. Natasha scowled and put her hands on her hips.  
  
“What’s your problem?” She raised her voice so that it carried into the elevator, and as the doors were closing, she saw Steve looking at the floor and frowning. What just happened? Natasha forgot her breakfast and marched out of the kitchen.  
  
She raced up the stairs to meet Steve at his floor. She found him in his bedroom lying on top of the unmade bed, while clothes littered the floor. Steve looked up at her and his eyes looked newly red. Taking in the sight, Natasha let out a deep breath and slowed down.  
  
“Hey,” Natasha sat down at the edge of the bed and combed her fingers through Steve’s hair, “what’s wrong?” Steve closed his eyes and leaned into the caress. He didn’t reply right away, but when he did, he had new tear marks on his cheeks.  
  
“I’m so angry and I don’t know why,” he whispered, “I’m sorry for being so curt with you, I just get overwhelmed and I can’t stop the hurtful things coming out of my mouth.”  
  
“It’s ok, shhh, it’s ok,” she cradled his head in her lap. “My pushiness got you feeling cornered?”  
  
“It just takes a lot of energy to be around people. They have their expectations, and if they want from me something different than what I need, I get defensive and try to oppose them. I know it’s silly little things, and I feel so awful after for infecting the other person with my bad mood. It’s just too much.” He seemed so young to Natasha then that she remembered how young he actually was. He froze in his mid-twenties, even though the legend of Captain America is so much older.  
  
“No wonder you’re overwhelmed, Steve, you’ve barely had any time to adjust from fighting in Europe seventy years ago to fighting aliens in the modern world.”  
  
“Everything is so different – the people, the city, the customs. How do I fit?”  
  
“It’s lonely, isn’t it? To start your life completely over. But It’s ok to be afraid.”  
  
“Captain America doesn’t get afraid,” he grimaced, not quite a smile.  
  
“No, but Steve Rogers does.” That distinction was always important to Natasha, even when she struggled to distance herself from the multitude of identities she assumed throughout her life. Steve thought about his answer.  
  
“You’re right, it’s normal for someone to be afraid of not knowing their place in the world, but it still feels like a weakness. As Captain America, I’m good at what I do – I lead missions and save people’s lives. But, when that pressure to perform, that distraction, is gone, then I don’t know what to do with myself. There’s so much I could do that I can’t do anything, and that makes me feel really worthless.”  
  
Natasha slumped down next to Steve and made herself comfortable. “You’re worth more than your actions, Steve. You don’t decide to save civilians based on the morality of their choices. You save them because they deserve a chance to live out their lives, however that may be.” She looked straight at him to make him feel the gravity behind her words, “How can I help you not feel so adrift?”  
  
“I don’t know, but this, right now feels pretty good. Thank you for being my friend.” His shoulders released the tension and he relaxed next to Natasha. A soft smile was on his lips.  
  
“I’ll always be here for you Rogers, whether you want me to be or not,” she smirked, and they enjoyed the silence, simply knowing they weren’t alone.


End file.
